NWA fishing report

BEAVER LAKE

Night fishing for black bass has improved.

James Whittle at Hook, Line and Sinker in Rogers said spinner baits and buzz baits in dark colors are working well at night around flooded bushes and timber. Early morning bass fishing with top-water frogs and surface lures is also good. Use spinner baits, crank baits, plastic worms or Ned rigs later in the day, Whittle said.

Striped bass are biting on the north end of the lake between Points 5 and 3 on brood minnows or shad.

Flathead catfish are biting small sunfish. Try liver for channel catfish. All methods of catfishing are working, he said.

Walleye can be caught with nightcrawler rigs or by trolling crank baits.

Mike Whitehouse at Hickory Creek Marina said trolling for crappie is good on the south end of the lake. Troll crank baits in fire tiger colors. Crank baits with pink in the color scheme are good. Use a crank bait that dives 12 to 20 feet deep.

Black bass are biting deep- diving crank baits such as the Bill Norman DD22. Jug fishing for catfish is good with small sunfish for baits. Flathead catfish to 30 pounds have been caught recently.

BEAVER TAILWATER

High water is still the norm for trout fishing, reports Carl Caso at the Beaver Dam Store.

Power Bait is the top bait. The best lure is a gold and silver Colorado spoon. Fly fishing is difficult with the high water level.

LAKE FAYETTEVILLE

Al Perea at the lake office said bluegill are biting fair on cricket or worms in shallow water. Try plastic worms for black bass. Liver or nightcrawlers are the best catfish baits.

Crappie are biting five to seven feet deep on jigs or minnows around brush. The key is knowing where underwater brush is located, Perea said.

LAKE SEQUOYAH

Mike McBride at the lake bait shop said fishing is good early for black bass with spinner baits and plastic worms. Catfish are biting liver or shad.

Use crickets or worms for bluegill in shallow water close to shore. No report on crappie.

SWEPCO LAKE

Kenny Stroud in Siloam Springs said black bass are biting all types of soft plastic lures two to 20 feet deep. Try top-water lures early or late or on cloudy days.

ILLINOIS RIVER

Stroud recommends several lures to catch black bass. Try Rooster Tails, grubs, tubes or Beetle Spins.

SILOAM SPRINGS LAKE

Stroud recommends using square-bill crank baits to catch black bass. Try bass fishing with plastic worms on a drop-shot rig or shaky-head jig.

BELLA VISTA

Nick Gann at Hook, Line and Sinker in Bella Vista said bluegill and redear are biting at all Bella Vista lakes six to 10 feet deep on worms or crickets.

Use top-water lures for black bass early. Go with plastic worms around docks and brush during the day or at night. Night fishing for bass is also good with deep-diving crank baits or black spinner baits.

EASTERN OKLAHOMA

Kenny Stroud in Siloam Springs said black bass at Lake Eucha can be caught with deep-diving crank baits.

The Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation reports good crappie fishing with jigs or minnows around docks and brush. Catfish are biting well on shrimp or shad.

TABLE ROCK LAKE

The Missouri Department of Conservation reports good bluegill fishing with worms. Black bass are biting Ned rigs 15 to 20 feet deep along main lake points. In the James River arm, try deep diving crank baits or jig and pigs for bass 18 to 20 feet deep along rocky bluffs.